4 position players the Cardinals could trade for this offseason

1B Yandy Diaz

With the possible departure of Paul Goldschmidt this offseason, the Cardinals could look to replace him with a player from outside of the organization. Luken Baker and Alec Burleson appear to be Goldy's replacements, but Burly could feasibly play outfield and DH most days, and Baker could also be the team's primary designated hitter who also plays first base on occasion.

If John Mozeliak looks outside the organization for improvements, first baseman Yandy Diaz of the Tampa Bay Rays could be a perfect fit. Diaz, 33, has two more years of team control following 2024 thanks to his three-year, $24 million contract he signed last season to buy out his arbitration years. He's owed $8 million next year, and he has a $12 million club option for 2026. This isn't an expensive contract, and he can be cut fairly easily after next year if he doesn't perform well in St. Louis.

Diaz is a career .289/.373/.434 hitter with a 126 OPS+ over eight years. He was an All-Star last year, and he won the batting title in the American League with a .330 average. He's never been known for his power, as he has a career ISO of just .145. However, his ability to make contact has always been strong.

This year, Diaz has taken a step back with a .284/.341/.420 slash line to go along with 14 home runs and 65 runs batted in for an OPS+ of 117. He does not strike o often (15.1% K rate), but his walk rate has fallen to just 7.7% this year. Diaz also doesn't grade out as positively defensively as Goldschmidt has in his career, but he's close to a neutral defender nonetheless.

Since we're talking about dealing with the Tampa Bay Rays, an organization that John Mozeliak has become familiar with these past five years (see Randy Arozarena, Richie Palacios, and Dylan Carlson), Mo should tread lightly in negotiations. The Cardinals could get by with sending prospects, particularly ones around the 7-15 range organizationally to the Rays for their veteran first baseman.